Kalevala Ski Tour 

Detailed program

Day 1 Arrival

Arrival at Kuusamo airport followed by a 2-hour transfer to Martinselkonen Wilds Centre, a former guard station transformed into a modern guesthouse. After check-in, enjoy a dinner and attend a briefing with your guide about the upcoming adventure. (On late arrival an evening snack will be served and briefing will take place in the morning.)  

Day 2 Day tour from Martinselkonen 23 km

After breakfast, it's time to hit the trails! We begin our expedition heading east towards our farthest point. We’ll stop for a picnic lunch at a Finnish Parks & Wildlife wilderness hut before continuing for a few more kilometers. Upon arrival at our accommodation, we’ll unwind in a traditional wood-heated sauna, soothing tired muscles after a day of skiing in the crisp winter air.

Day 3 Martinselkonen-Arola 28 km

Today´s route takes us through the Martinselkonen nature reserve where we’ll ski through a network of swamps and ancient spruce forests. These forests are home to Finland’s large predators - wolves, lynxes, wolverines, and the hibernating brown bear. While rarely seen, their tracks may be visible in the snow. In the afternoon, we’ll arrive at Arola guesthouse, renowned for its local, home-cooked meals. Dinner will be served in the cozy ambiance of a traditional log house.

Day 4 Day tour from Arola 27 km

Today’s tour takes us to Teerilampi Wilderness Hut, where our assistant guide has been preparing a hearty lunch for us while we ski. We’ll enjoy hot soup and sandwiches around an open fire before skiing back to Arola for another night of warm hospitality and relaxation.

Day 5 Arola–Rajakartano 43 km

The longest skiing day of the tour takes us northward through a diverse landscape of forests, lakes, and wetlands. We’ll stop for lunch midway through the journey before continuing to Rajakartano, another former border guard station converted into a charming guesthouse. Located on the shore of Lake Hossanjärvi near Hossa National Park, Rajakartano offers a traditional Finnish lake-side sauna. The more adventurous amongst us, can even try ice swimming – dip yourself into the hole in the ice!

Day 6 Day tour in Hossa national park 20–35 km

Our final day of skiing takes us through the trails of Hossa National Park, established in 2017 to celebrate Finland’s centennial. The landscape here is defined by ridges, small lakes, and stunning pine heathlands. Unlike previous days, today’s route includes a few steeper (but mostly short) uphill sections.

Lunch will be at Hossa Visitor Centre, where you can also visit a small souvenir shop. After lunch, we have the option to take either a shorter or longer route back to the guesthouse, where a well-earned sauna awaits us once more. In the evening, we will enjoy a farewell dinner to celebrate the end of our journey. If we are lucky, the magical Northern Lights might top off our skiing week, though nature alone will decide if the show unfolds tonight! 

Day 7 Return

Breakfast and transfer to Kuusamo airport (1 hour).

Good to know

DURATION
7 days / 6 nights

GUARANTEED DEPARTURES
22.02.–28.02.2026
01.03.–07.03.2026
08.03.–14.03.2026
Other departures for groups on request. Season 01.02.-05.04.

PRICE
1250 €
Ski equipment hire (skis, boots, poles) 70 €

GROUP SIZE
The tour is guaranteed to run without minimum number of participants. Max. 12 persons.

SOME BASIC FACTS ABOUT THE TOUR
- This is a cross-country skiing tour on tracks, not going “off the trails”.
- This tour is for experienced cross-country skiers requiring good fitness and strong skiing skills.
- Daily skiing distances are 25–43 km. Daily skiing time including breaks is 5–8 hours.
- The track is made by snowmobile especially for the group, it is not a maintained track.
- The terrain is relatively easy, with no major hills along the route. However, there are some ups and downs, partly steep, on the last skiing day. The route takes you through forests, across lakes, and over swamps.
- Only the classical technique can be used on this tour.
- Cross-country skis (width approx. 44 mm) for classical style are the correct choice for this tour.
- See a rough route map here.

ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation is provided in small, family-run guest houses, mostly in twin and triple rooms. In some cases, quadruple rooms may also be used . Solo travellers will be paired with a fellow traveller(s) of the same gender. Couples will be accommodated in private twin rooms. Single rooms cannot be booked. Most rooms have shared facilities, except on days 1 and 2, when most rooms include private facilities.

TRAVEL
Flights are not included in the tour price.
If you have any questions regarding flights or transfers, please contact us before booking your flights!

The joining point for this trip is Kuusamo airport and the tour ends at Kuusamo airport.
Single-timed group transfers are organized to meet the following Finnair flights from/to Helsinki:

Arrival 22.02., 01.03., and 08.03. HEL-KAO AY491 (arrival at 19.25)
Departure 28.02., 07.03. and 14.03. KAO-HEL AY486 (departure at 13.25)

Travel by bus/train
Upon arrival it is possible take a train (or bus) from Helsinki to Oulu, followed by a bus from Oulu to Kuusamo. The same applies for the return trip to Helsinki. Please ensure that the schedule aligns with the transfer times mentioned above. Note: Pick-up is not available from the bus station.

PAYMENT
Deposit: 20 % of total amount will be charged at the time of booking.
The full tour price is due 14 days prior to departure. An invoice or a link to pay online by credit card will be sent by email.

NOTES
It is essential that a passenger is covered by adequate travel insurance.
The tour is not suitable for persons with reduced mobility.    
We reserve the right to change the itinerary (route, accommodation) if necessary due to snow or ice conditions, or if the group is 3 persons or fewer.

What do I need to bring?

• ski clothing
• leisure time clothing
• rucksack (15-20 l)
• thermos flask
• head lamp / torch
• ski equipment 

The full packing list will be provided after booking.  

Reviews

2023
A wonderful experience. Fabulous scenery, food, guiding and company.

2020
This was a wonderful way to explore Finland. From the campfire lunches to history along the border, I learned a lot while getting to ski in wildlife areas. Guides Kassu&Jani were a lot of fun, very knowledgeable and provided great experience for all. We met wonderful people from Finland and other countries. The trip was a great value that I will remember for many years. Alison, Alaska

The landscape changing at all corners is always more than expected, alternating between forest, lakes, rivers, huge surfaces of powder snow. In addition pretty nice accommodations with traditional sauna is an amazing experience. A lot of cultural skills is brought to the group in the evening thanks to the guide and the owners of the accommodations. Bertrand, France

2017
I believe that if you want to understand the real nature of cross-country skiing you have to do this trip. What we do normally in our countries on our tracks is sport/training. Here it’s another thing. Stefano, Italy

It was so good I come back! Steffi

2016
If you want to spend one week surrounded by beautiful nature, glide along on your skis on prepared tracks, savour delicious Finnish food and relax in comfortable accommodations with a sauna – this is your trip. Female, Germany

Pour amateurs de grands espaces blancs, adeptes d’efforts solitaires. La Finlande tient toutes ses promesses: paysages merveilleux, accueil chaleureux, cuisine excellent… et le sauna apres le ski est une vraie revelation! Florence, France

-> 2015
An unforgettable experience. Highly recommended to see Finland and ski an awesome tour. Ramón, Spain

We enjoyed a really tough ski tour. We had all kinds of weather, very good food and accommodation. All of our group (from France, Spain, Germany and Japan) can recommend this beautiful ski experience. Many thanks to our guide Petri, very funny, friendly and experienced wilderness guide. Frank, Germany

The tour started for us with a trip. The distance was 45 km which we never had trained. So the first day was hard for us. Second day and the rest of the week was the distance good. We loved to ski without other people, just on your own with all the environment at that moment. It was a great experience. Thank you and your staff for this trip. Heino, Holland